For strictly 10/100, look for 32-bit PC-Cards (PCMCIA is 16-bit) with integrated ports. Don't get anything with a dongle, as you'll end up losing it, the crappy little connectors will break, and it will just annoy the heck out of you.

Linksys, SMC, Belkin, and probably many others, make some nice ones. Don't get the 3Com ones, as they require Type-III (or two Type-II) slots. The others only require single Type-II slots, as the port stick out and above the slot.

You should be able to pick these up for next to nothing at FutureShop, BestBuy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, etc. The last one I bought was around $25 CDN, and that was over two, maybe three, years ago.

Can't help you with gigabit NICs, as I've never looked for PC-Card versions of them.

For strictly 10/100, look for 32-bit PC-Cards (PCMCIA is 16-bit) with integrated ports. Don't get anything with a dongle, as you'll end up losing it, the crappy little connectors will break, and it will just annoy the heck out of you.

Linksys, SMC, Belkin, and probably many others, make some nice ones. Don't get the 3Com ones, as they require Type-III (or two Type-II) slots. The others only require single Type-II slots, as the port stick out and above the slot.

You should be able to pick these up for next to nothing at FutureShop, BestBuy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, etc. The last one I bought was around $25 CDN, and that was over two, maybe three, years ago.

Can't help you with gigabit NICs, as I've never looked for PC-Card versions of them.

OK. Instead of asking you an exhaustive list of what I should get, aside from 3COM, what else should I *not* get.

If this is just a personal-use laptop, where you won't be doing a lot of heavy, continuous, high-bandwidth transfers over long periods of time, then just about any 32-bit PC-Card NIC with an integraded RJ-45 port will be fine.

If you will be doing lots of high-bandwidth, long-term, continuous transfers, then don't get anything that uses RealTek chipsets, or that interfaces with USB.

See what's available at your local computer store, write down names and model numbers, then do online searches to see what chipsets are used.

If this is just a personal-use laptop, where you won't be doing a lot of heavy, continuous, high-bandwidth transfers over long periods of time, then just about any 32-bit PC-Card NIC with an integraded RJ-45 port will be fine.

If you will be doing lots of high-bandwidth, long-term, continuous transfers, then don't get anything that uses RealTek chipsets, or that interfaces with USB.

See what's available at your local computer store, write down names and model numbers, then do online searches to see what chipsets are used.

One thing: Please do not give up on getting the original adapter's driver fixed! The developers are eager to fix these sorts of problems, and often all they need is a determined, capable user to assist them in troubleshooting and fixing the issue. Yes, get another adapter so you can work, but also keep working on the original problem.

If you can run tcpdump to get traces on what is happening to the packets, apply patches and rebuild, you can probably get the problem fixed for everybody!

__________________The only dumb question is a question not asked.
The only dumb answer is an answer not given.

One thing: Please do not give up on getting the original adapter's driver fixed! The developers are eager to fix these sorts of problems, and often all they need is a determined, capable user to assist them in troubleshooting and fixing the issue. Yes, get another adapter so you can work, but also keep working on the original problem.

If you can run tcpdump to get traces on what is happening to the packets, apply patches and rebuild, you can probably get the problem fixed for everybody!